Hi all,

We are soon to have a completed and finished new house with a move in date just before Thanksgiving! The house is located in Michigan, and the land still needs final grading to take place before we can start on the landscaping.

My question is how to get started. Our lot is pure sand - like the kind of sand you pay money for to build a sandbox or pure beach sand (and the sand is white!). We want to have a fenced in back yard and a front yard that is manageable. We also plan to have underground sprinkling installed and a fence around the backyard perimeter for our dog.

What should we do first? Fence, underground sprinkling, or topsoil? I am thinking soil, sprinkling then fence, but wanted opinions.

Secondly, when should we do this? Is it pointless to have topsoil brought in just before winter? It would be great to have the fence installed immediately so we can let the dog out there all winter but we can wait until spring if we have to.

Last question: considering that we have zero topsoil and all sand, should we use sod, or have topsoil brought in? Cost is a consideration but we can afford either.

Thanks in advance,